Increase Student Performance Using Analytics

uHoo Analytics provides faculty with real-time data visualizations and analytics about student engagement, performance, and areas of struggle within their courses. uHoo Analytics enables faculty to apply their research skills to systematically study the learning process, collect and analyze data, and iteratively refine their teaching practices based on empirical evidence. This aligns with the principles of learning science, where instructors continuously investigate how students learn and use that knowledge to design more effective learning environments across multiple modalities. 
 
The set of resources below is designed to support faculty by providing options which consider desired time commitment and depth of knowledge. Each learning resource is identified according to the following learning outcomes.

Professional Development

Digital Learning Innovations at Kennesaw State University supports faculty development by offering a range of services and resources related to distance and technology-enhanced learning. Our professional development opportunities assist faculty in developing outstanding hybrid and online courses by providing instructional design support and digital media services to bring course visions to life through multimedia elements like pictures, video, and audio. 

Learning Outcomes:

  1. Access uHoo Learning Analytics dashboards via Power Bi.
  2. Identify the purpose of the uHoo Analytics dashboards and the functions of the uHoo Analytics widgets on each dashboard.
  3. Manipulate the filters and slicers to display data appropriately and correctly in uHoo Analytics.
  4. Define Learning Analytics and the four main types of data and how they can be used to evaluate course and student success.
  5. Analyze the success of a formative assessment and a summative assessment using hypothetical data in uHoo Analytics.
  6. Interpret and interrogate individual student data and draw appropriate conclusions about a course assessment and/or individual assessment items based on trends.
  7. Create a remediation plan for a struggling student.
  8. Propose revisions for an assessment based on available data trends.
  9. Draft an evidentiary document demonstrating contributions to student success and continuous course improvement based on template data or individual course data.
TITLE DESCRIPTION RESOURCE TYPE AVERAGE TIME

Introduction to uHoo Analytics (Souvenir Badge)
 

This one-hour souvenir badge is an introduction to accessing and using the uHoo Analytics platform. After completing the Introduction to uHoo Analytics training, participants will be able to:

  • Access and pin uHoo Learning Analytics dashboards via Power Bi.
  • Opt-in to Monday Measures email alerts.
  • Identify the purpose of the uHoo Analytics dashboards.
  • Identify the functions of the uHoo Analytics visualizations on each dashboard. 
  • Manipulate the filters and slicers to display data correctly.
  • Confirm understanding of how to configure D2L course design to optimize uHoo Analytics performance.
 Self-Directed PD 1 hour

Learning Analytics 101 (Badge Level One)

*Access to this course in D2L is granted upon request after completing the Introduction to uHoo Analytics module.

Good teachers (like you) think like researchers, and, in the same way that researchers use data to inform and improve their processes, instructors can use the data their students generate to come to conclusions about what is and isn't working in their courses. In Learning Analytics 101, you will learn the basics of the types of data and how they can be used to support individual student success and continuous course improvement.

 Self-Directed PD 3 hours

Faculty as Learning Scientists: Student Support (Badge Level One)

*Access to this course in D2L is granted upon request after completing the Introduction to uHoo Analytics module.

More than ever before, faculty are being tasked with demonstrating how their teaching methods, classroom materials, and assessments directly impact student success. While most faculty may feel confident in their impact, providing evidence of it in the form of artifacts can feel daunting, overwhelming, or even impossible. This Level One Badge is designed to train faculty as learning scientists to use the data already available within their courses to assess student success over the course of the semester, target students in need of help, and create remediation plans to address those student needs

 Self-Directed PD 3 hours

Faculty as Learning Scientists: Course Optimization (Badge Level One)

*Access to this course in D2L is granted upon request after completing the Introduction to uHoo Analytics module.

Successful instructors are constantly revising their materials for relevance and correctness based on research and feedback; however, the most successful instructors supplement this research and feedback with solid data from their current course, both while the course is running and at the conclusion of the semester and structure these revisions accordingly. This Level One Badge will offer training on accessing and interpreting how the data can be used to inform course improvement.

 Self-Directed PD 3 hours

Faculty as Learning Scientists (Digital Certificate)

*This digital certificate is awarded automatically after completing all four badges listed above.

The uHoo Analytics: Faculty as Learning Scientists Digital Certificate is the culmination of completing one souvenir and three level one badges: Introduction to uHoo Analytics, Learning Analytics 101, Faculty as Learning Scientists: Student Support, and Faculty as Learning Scientists: Course Optimization. Completing these courses indicates that you understand learning analytics and how to apply the concepts directly to your teaching to improve student success and continuously improve your course.

 Digital Certificate 10 hours
uHoo Analytics Quick Start Guide Demonstrates two ways of accessing the uHoo Analytics platform in Power Bi using either the app version of Microsoft Teams or the web version of Microsoft Outlook.  Reference Guide 30 minutes
uHoo Analytics ShortCut Sheet Lists several of the most common tasks you might want to accomplish in uHoo Analytics and how to do so.  Reference Guide 10 minutes
uHoo Analytics Full Job Aid Provides a comprehensive overview of the uHoo Analytics platform, how it works, and a breakdown of each of the dashboards and descriptions of the visualizations they contain. This document also includes best practices for maximizing your use of D2L to get the best data out of uHoo Analytics and the ethics of using a platform like uHoo Analytics to inform your work as a faculty member and a learning scientist. Reference Guide 1.5 hours

 

Become a Better Instructor Through Data Analysis

Kennesaw State University faculty are excellent researchers and instructors. Now, with the use of a new tool, KSU faculty are using their research skills to become more effective instructors and ultimately, learning scientists. In partnership with Microsoft, KSU built uHoo Analytics, a D2L learning analytics tool that helps faculty prioritize their attention by: 

  • Identifying students in need of additional support or tutoring
  • Providing visualizations that reveal common student challenges
  • Revealing opportunities for revision of course content, activities, and assessments 

uHoo Analytics is a key tool in helping faculty support student success and offering personalized student support.

  • Amazing teachers (like you) think like researchers! 

    If you teach a course in any format (online, hybrid, or in-person) and use the D2L Gradebook, you can use uHoo Analytics to easily and effectively collect and analyze data and start your research into student success. 

    To gain access to uHoo Analytics, please see the button below to open the Introduction to uHoo Analytics module within OwlTrain. Once you complete the module, you will receive an email indicating that you can access your data within one week. Completing this training will also earn you the Introduction to uHoo Analytics souvenir microcredential.

    As a participant, you will receive:

    • Monday Measures Email: This email will contain student, course, and quiz question alerts and links directly to the uHoo Analytics dashboards.

    • uHoo Analytics Dashboard: Links in the Monday Measures email will lead to the uHoo Analytics Dashboard, which will provide insight regarding questions on quizzes and assignments that students struggled with the previous week. If you use D2L to record attendance, this data will also be available. These dashboards will give you a closer look at data for individual students, assessments, and the course in general.

     

    INTRODUCTION TO UHOO ANALYTICS MODULE

     

  • How does uHoo Support Student Success?

    • Improve your data-informed decision-making.
    • Customize learning experiences to meet students' needs.
    • Collect real-time feedback on student learning and instructional strategies.
    • Facilitate communications and engagement with students. 
    • Create opportunities for early intervention and support.

       

    What’s in it for you? 

    • Flexibility and Freedom: Make D2L work for you to free up your time for other KSU and college demands.

    • Supporting Evidence: Generate evidence in the categories of Professional Service and Teaching, Supervising, and Mentoring for your ARD and P&T narratives.

    • Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL): Explore how learning analytics may be used to support SoTL. contact Dr. Hillary Steiner, Associate Director for SoTL at CETL, for an individual consultation or workshop opportunity.

  • Please use the resources below as you work in uHoo Analytics.

    • uHoo Analytics Full Job Aid: Provides a comprehensive overview of the uHoo Analytics platform, how it works, and a breakdown of each of the dashboards and descriptions of the visualizations they contain. This document also includes best practices for maximizing your use of D2L to get the best data out of uHoo Analytics and the ethics of using a platform like uHoo Analytics to inform your work as a faculty member and a learning scientist.

    • uHoo Analytics QuickStart Guide: Demonstrates two ways of accessing the uHoo Analytics platform in Power Bi using either the app version of Microsoft Teams or the web version of Microsoft Outlook.

    • uHoo Analytics Shortcut Sheet: Lists several of the most common tasks you might want to accomplish in uHoo Analytics and how to do so. 

    Want more information? Email uhoo@kennesaw.edu or visit our FAQ Page.

Faculty Development Program

The Digital Learning Innovations team is hosting a virtual professional development program about uHoo Analytics during the Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 semesters. The Program's purpose is to build faculty expertise in learning analytics within undergraduate courses that serve large student numbers. During the program, faculty participants will complete four online asynchronous modules and actively engage in four virtual professional learning community events. During the Spring 2025 semester faculty participants will share their summer uses of uHoo Analytics with all their departmental colleagues during a department meeting or similar event. Additionally, participants will attend a concluding program meeting in the spring semester. The virtual PLC events will be facilitated by a DLI team member.

    • Opportunity to demonstrate a commitment to student success.
    • Opportunity to contribute to an institutional student success research study.
    • Ability to generate data for scholarship or scholarly activity in teaching and learning.
    • Opportunity to serve as a leader and mentor to colleagues within your field in learning analytics applied to your discipline.
    • Access uHoo Learning Analytics dashboards via Power Bi.
    • Identify the purpose of the uHoo Analytics dashboards and the functions of the uHoo Analytics widgets on each dashboard.  
    • Manipulate the filters and slicers to display data appropriately and correctly in uHoo Analytics.
    • Define Learning Analytics and the four main types of data and how they can be used to evaluate course and student success.
    • Analyze the success of a formative assessment and a summative assessment using hypothetical data in uHoo Analytics.
    • Interpret and interrogate individual student data and draw appropriate conclusions about a course assessment and/or individual assessment items based on trends.
    • Create a remediation plan for a struggling student.
    • Propose revisions for an assessment based on available data trends.
    • Draft an evidentiary document demonstrating contributions to student success and continuous course improvement based on template data or individual course data.
    • Engage in a professional learning community to investigate possible best practices in use of learning analytics. 
  • VIRTUAL EVENT DATE TIME ASSIGNMENT DUE
    Kick-off Session September 18, 2024 TBD Accepted
    PLC Session 1 October 2, 2024 TBD Module 1 Complete 
    PLC Session 2 October 16, 2024 TBD Module 2 Complete
    PLC Session 3 October 30, 2024 TBD Module 3 Complete
    PLC Session 4 November 13, 2024 TBD Module 4 Complete
    Check- In Session November 20, 2024 TBD Departmental Share Due
    Concluding Meeting April 11, 2025 TBD Survey Complete

    If you have questions, please email uhoo@kennesaw.edu.

 

  • Each participant will commit to: 

    • sign up to use uHoo Analytics.
    • use the D2L gradebook and announcements for all courses taught for the duration of the program.
    • use uHoo Analytics at least weekly for the duration of the program through the end of Spring 2025.
    • attend and actively participate in all scheduled virtual meetings.
    • complete four learning modules about learning analytics.
    • present your use of learning analytics to your departmental colleagues in Spring 2025.
    • complete the uHoo survey and Research Study consent form (IRB-FY23-551). 
  • Monday, September 9, 2024, at 11:59pm.
  • Faculty who complete all summer deliverables on schedule will receive $1500 in summer non-instructional pay. 
    • Applicants must be employed part-time by KSU to teach undergraduate courses.
    • To qualify, applicants must be scheduled or expecting to teach for-credit courses both Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 semesters at KSU in any modality or campus.  
    • Part-time instructors do not qualify if they are teaching more than 9-credit hours in Fall 2024, OR more than 9-credit hours in Spring 2025. These hours include any joint appointments at other USG institutions.

  • This opportunity is limited by the number of facilitators. Applications will be reviewed by a committee of faculty in DLI and DLAC using these criteria:  

    • Part-time faculty who are scheduled or highly likely to teach a high-enrollment course in Fall 2024 and/or Spring 2025 are invited to apply.  
    • Applicants must indicate they can attend all scheduled virtual meetings.
    • Applicants must commit to using uHoo Analytics and D2L for all courses during the program.
    • If interest by qualified applicants exceeds program capacity; acceptance will be decided by the order in which the applications are received.  
  • First confirm your availability with the program schedule below. Then complete the application form by the deadline.
    Some questions will ask for information that will be an estimation on your part. Answer all questions to the best of your ability. 
  • During the summer, participants will be grouped into professional learning communities (PLCs) of 8-10 faculty. Each PLC will be assigned a facilitator. Each of the four professional learning community (PLC) events will be facilitated by the faculty facilitator selected from the uHoo Beta and Pilot groups in 2023, or a DLI team member. Facilitators will be assigned up to 4 PLCs to facilitate. Facilitators will be provided guidance documents and a brief training to support the 90-minute professional learning community discussions. The four online PLC events will be full day commitments for the facilitators to facilitate for their assigned PLCs. Additionally, facilitators may be contacted by their PLC members for mentorship or redirection to uHoo support resources.
  • Wednesday, May 1, 2024, at 11:59pm.
    • Faculty facilitators who lead all summer PLC sessions for up to 4 PLCs of 8-10 faculty as scheduled will receive $2500 in summer non-instructional pay (up to 4 Fridays of commitment—see schedule). 
    • Facilitators must complete any uHoo modules that remain incomplete on schedule with participants. 
    • Applicants must be employed by KSU as an instructor.
    • To qualify, applicants must have been an active member of the 2023 uHoo Beta or Pilot groups. 
    • Facilitators are not required to be tenured or tenure track faculty. Lecturers are encouraged to apply. 
    • Facilitators will be selected in the order in which qualified applications are received. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Check out our FAQs! This guide covers key aspects of learning analytics and its role in enhancing teaching and learning. Instructors can now use data pulled in real-time to identify at-risk students, improve course design, and provide personalized feedback. Our comprehensive FAQs explain the types of data collected, how it is used, and how uHoo Analytics can help you access and utilize this information effectively!

Learn More